Google Chromebox official, new Chromebook brings updates

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Google has confirmed the arrival of a new Chromebook and its first-ever Chromebox desktop computer, both of which are available now.

Samsung has built both devices and although each is the right side of svelte, the Chromebox especially is impressively compact. Despite its size, the Google Chromebox - which, like its laptop sibling, runs on the Chrome OS - is a multitasking demon.

With the ability to handle video conference calls while playing games or browsing the web, it can also display multiple windows side-by-side simultaneously.

Google has revamped its user interface, which it hopes will make searching for apps easier and faster to load up, while your favourite applications can be marked for quick-fire access.

Talking of speed, Google claims its Chromebook can boot up in less than 7 seconds, can be awakened instantly by opening the device, and is three times faster than the much-derided first-generation Chromebooks.

App fans can feast on the likes of Angry Birds and Netflix from the Chrome Web Store, while both the Chromebox and Chromebook have also been preinstalled with the ability to view Microsoft Office files.

Google Docs is also on board with offline support. In other words, it enables you to carry on working when not connected to the internet, a feature being introduced in the next few weeks.

Users can add their docs to Google Drive, which again will support offline access - automatically backing up files when you reconnect to the net - with the next Chrome OS update.

Last, but by no means least, both the Chromebox and Chromebook can access your other PC and Mac devices remotely through the preinstalled Chrome Remote Desktop Beta software.

Both the Chromebox and Chromebook are available now from Google’s online retail partners, while Currys and PC World is selling the Chromebook in the UK.

Spec are notably on the light side, but we'll bring you all the updates to Chrome OS and the new Chrome hardware as soon as we have our hands on it.

Will the updates convince you to move to Chrome OS? Let us know in the comments below.